The National Housing Authority has P12 million funds ready for the relocation of informal settlers that will be affected by the ongoing development project at the Batiano River, reports onlyinphilippines.com.
Isagani Jalbuena, the NHA project manager, stated that the fund will be used for the site development of the P1.2 hectare-lot identified by the local government unit (LGU) of Oton as relocation site.
The Oton LGU has already identified some 86 informal settlers out of the initial 150 that will be affected by the project.
The Batiano River is connected to the Iloilo River which currently is being revived by the city government.
Supported by Senator Franklin Drilon, the Iloilo River Development Council, chaired by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, has been amended to become Iloilo-Batiano River Development Council.
Initial phases of the development in Oton include the identification of informal settlers and dredging of the river, which are already ongoing.
Drilon, during the recent regular meeting of the council here, announced the availability of the notice of cash allocation (NCA) for the P6 million fund that will be used for the dredging activities at the Batiano River.
Of the amount, P5.7 million will be used for dredging activities of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and P380,000 for assistance to fish pen owners.
Already, the NIA has completed 80 percent of their dredging activities at the portions of Lambuyao Bridge to Batiano. Dredging is now being conducted at the Cagbang Bridge.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, May 22, 2012;